Group coordinator selection

Abstract

A first playback device may include at least one battery, a network interface, at least one processor, a non-transitory computer-readable medium, and program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium. The program instructions may be executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to (i) receive an instruction to operate as a group coordinator of a synchrony group, (ii) determine a value of a battery state variable of the at least one battery, (iii) based on the value of the battery state variable of the at least one battery, select a second playback device from one or more other members of the synchrony group to operate as the group coordinator of the synchrony group, and (iv) cause the second playback device to operate as the group coordinator of the synchrony group.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A system comprising:
 at least one processor; 
 at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium; and 
 program instructions stored on the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:
 receive an indication of a command for a first playback device and a second playback device of a media playback system to form a synchrony group for synchronous playback of audio content; 
 determine, for each of the first and second playback devices of the synchrony group, a respective battery state variable value; 
 based on the respective battery state variable values, determine that a computing device other than the first or second playback device is to operate as a group coordinator for the synchrony group; and 
 cause the computing device to operate as the group coordinator for the synchrony group, wherein the group coordinator is configured to transmit (i) the audio content and (ii) playback timing information to the first and second playback devices. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device comprises a remote computing device that is associated with the media playback system. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device comprises a network device of the media playback system that is configured to (i) transmit audio content and playback timing information to playback devices of the media playback system but (ii) not play back audio content. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to determine that the computing device is to operate as the group coordinator for the synchrony group further comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:
 determine that the computing device is communicatively coupled to a remote media content source that is configured to provide the audio content to the media playback system. 
 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to determine that the computing device is to operate as the group coordinator for the synchrony group further comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:
 based on the respective battery state variable values, determine that each of the first and second playback devices is a battery-powered playback device; and 
 determine that the computing device is not a battery-powered playback device. 
 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 5 , further comprising program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:
 based on the respective battery state variable values, determine that each of the first and second playback devices has a respective battery level that is below a threshold level. 
 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 5 , further comprising program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:
 based on the respective battery state variable values, determine that neither of the first or second playback devices is coupled to an external power source. 
 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to determine that the computing device is to operate as the group coordinator for the synchrony group further comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:
 based on the respective battery state variable values and a respective battery state variable value of the computing device, determine that (i) each of the first playback device, the second playback device, and the computing device is a battery-powered playback device, (ii) each of the first and second playback devices has a respective battery level that is below a threshold level, and (iii) the computing device has a respective battery level that is greater than the threshold level. 
 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to determine that the computing device is to operate as the group coordinator for the synchrony group further comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the system is configured to:
 based on the respective battery state variable values and a respective battery state variable value of the computing device, determine that (i) each of the first playback device, the second playback device, and the computing device is a battery-powered playback device, (ii) neither of the first or second playback devices is coupled to an external power source, and (iii) the computing device is coupled to an external power source. 
 
     
     
       10. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium is provisioned with program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a system to:
 receive an indication of a command for a first playback device and a second playback device of a media playback system to form a synchrony group for synchronous playback of audio content; 
 determine, for each of the first and second playback devices of the synchrony group, a respective battery state variable value; 
 based on the respective battery state variable values, determine that a computing device other than the first or second playback device is to operate as a group coordinator for the synchrony group; and 
 cause the computing device to operate as the group coordinator for the synchrony group, wherein the group coordinator is configured to transmit (i) the audio content and (ii) playback timing information to the first and second playback devices. 
 
     
     
       11. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the computing device comprises a remote computing device that is associated with the media playback system. 
     
     
       12. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the computing device comprises a network device of the media playback system that is configured to (i) transmit audio content and playback timing information to playback devices of the media playback system but (ii) not play back audio content. 
     
     
       13. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the system to determine that the computing device is to operate as the group coordinator for the synchrony group further comprise program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the system to:
 determine that the computing device is communicatively coupled to a remote media content source that is configured to provide the audio content to the media playback system. 
 
     
     
       14. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the system to determine that the computing device is to operate as the group coordinator for the synchrony group further comprise program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the system to:
 based on the respective battery state variable values, determine that each of the first and second playback devices is a battery-powered playback device; and 
 determine that the computing device is not a battery-powered playback device. 
 
     
     
       15. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium is also provisioned with program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the system to:
 based on the respective battery state variable values, determine that each of the first and second playback devices has a respective battery level that is below a threshold level. 
 
     
     
       16. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium is also provisioned with program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the system to:
 based on the respective battery state variable values, determine that neither of the first or second playback devices is coupled to an external power source. 
 
     
     
       17. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the system to determine that the computing device is to operate as the group coordinator for the synchrony group further comprise program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the system to:
 based on the respective battery state variable values and a respective battery state variable value of the computing device, determine that (i) each of the first playback device, the second playback device, and the computing device is a battery-powered playback device, (ii) each of the first and second playback devices has a respective battery level that is below a threshold level, and (iii) the computing device has a respective battery level that is greater than the threshold level. 
 
     
     
       18. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the system to determine that the computing device is to operate as the group coordinator for the synchrony group further comprise program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the system to:
 based on the respective battery state variable values and a respective battery state variable value of the computing device, determine that (i) each of the first playback device, the second playback device, and the computing device is a battery-powered playback device, (ii) neither of the first or second playback devices is coupled to an external power source, and (iii) the computing device is coupled to an external power source. 
 
     
     
       19. A method carried out by a system, the method comprising:
 receiving an indication of a command for a first playback device and a second playback device of a media playback system to form a synchrony group for synchronous playback of audio content; 
 determining, for each of the first and second playback devices of the synchrony group, a respective battery state variable value; 
 based on the respective battery state variable values, determining that a computing device other than the first or second playback device is to operate as a group coordinator for the synchrony group; and 
 causing the computing device to operate as the group coordinator for the synchrony group, wherein the group coordinator is configured to transmit (i) the audio content and (ii) playback timing information to the first and second playback devices. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , wherein the computing device comprises a network device of the media playback system that is configured to (i) transmit audio content and playback timing information to playback devices of the media playback system but (ii) not play back audio content.